


Steal Away

by Error (Glitchsune), Glitchsune



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: And Only As Like. A Secret Identity, Basically Puffy gets her adopted son Dream out of prison, But Only For Dream, Dream In Prison, Dream Isn't Manipulating Children Here I Promise, Dream Team SMP Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Dream Team SMP Spoilers, Dream is not an adult btw, Dream team smp au, Except Not Necessarily, Mother/Aunt and Son/Nephew relationship between Dream and Puffy, Post-Manberg Festival on Dream Team SMP (Video Blogging RPF), Post-Manberg-Pogtopia War on Dream Team SMP (Video Blogging RPF), Puffy Breaks Him Out, This Is Me Summoning Other Dream Apologists, Use of Real Names, Y'know I Might Add Some Dreamnap or Fundywastaken At A Later Date, Yes I'm a Dream Apologist How Could You Tell, and he is finally free of being forced to be the bad guy, for this fic specifically the dream team are younger, god please I have so many feelings about SMP!Dream he deserves so much, kind of, lmao I speedran the first chapter of this shit, thank god, the beginning is meant to seem like a type of jump-cuts between scenes, the story might be slightly incoherent at first but I promise it will get better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28908309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glitchsune/pseuds/Error, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glitchsune/pseuds/Glitchsune
Summary: Puffy has an itching need to learn about her son, and in the process of keeping him safe and happy, she may or may not break a few laws. Nothing wrong with that, right?
Relationships: Cara | CaptainPuffy & Clay | Dream
Comments: 49
Kudos: 424





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am aware that this first chapter is a little short but I'm working on the next one immediately so please give me a little time !!!!

It felt fake, almost, the hesitation settled everywhere like a thick fog across the lands. The long waged war had been won, Dream was locked away and couldn't cause anymore damage. It would take some time to get used to… It would take some time to fully accept there was no ever present danger hanging over them. And it was hopeful, the future was bright and peaceful.

Almost too bright, for one select person. Something itched at her, and she wore a near constant frown. She hid it around others of course, no reason for them to suspect anything was wrong. But Puffy… She had to know something. She had to settle this unease in her chest. It kept her up at night.

As inconspicuously as she could, Puffy asked around, starting her query with the two people she believed had suffered the most. Tommy and Tubbo.

"Because he stole my discs!"

"He oppressed our country for years!"

She couldn't be satisfied with those answers, they felt wrong. So, across the hills she roamed, casually asking whenever and whoever she could.

"Well, he was like…a tyrant, right? That's a bad thing to be."

"He destroyed a country! That's kinda fucked, I think."

"'Cause he was a heartless monster, he never cared about anyone."

"I never really cared that much, y'know? But...everyone else was going to fight him so…"

"Because I personally hate him, he keeps interfering with my own hunger for power."

  
  


Puffy collapsed into the grass, her search yielding rather fruitless. Sure, Dream had done terrible things but no one seemed to realise she was asking _why_ he did bad things, not why he was their 'villain'. She wished she could just ask him herself… her little Dreamling, the time she had spent with him… He _couldn't_ be completely heartless, and she ached to know what had set off his chain of evil. 

  
  


The imposing building blocked out all sunlight, and Puffy felt chills down her back. Clearing her mind of any doubts, she clenched her fists and paraded onward. She had to know.

In front of the black walls stood a towering figure, his trident held in front of him as he stood guard. Sam was an impressive warden, tall and quiet as he stalked his post. This symbol of authority and stoicism was who she had come to negotiate with, and Puffy refused to accept a 'no' today.

"Captain," Sam nodded at her, "what brings you to my prison?"

Puffy took one last, deep breath before answering.

"I need to see him."

"Do you now? I apologize, Captain, but visitors aren't allowed here."

"What will it take?"

"Pardon me?"

"What will it take to get me in there, Sam?"

"Captain, as I said-"

"I am not leaving here until I get to see Dream, Sam. One question. I just need to be able to ask him _one_ question."

Sam let his shoulders slouch a little, as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. He knew of the relationship the two shared, and of course Dream was chained up inside the cell so it was not dangerous to approach him, but…

"Sam, please...just one question…" Puffy bit her lower lip, cringing inwardly at how hopeless she had just sounded. It seemed to work though, her tone breaking through the last of Sam's psyche.

"I can give you five minutes, Captain, that's all," Puffy nodded eagerly, quickly expressing her thanks. "But just this once. And don't go telling people about it, because I don't want Tommy to come around asking to be let in so the child can mock Dream or something. Okay?"

"Yes! I promise, not a single word of this will ever be spoken to anyone." Puffy assured, her heart thudding so loudly she barely even heard herself. She hopped toward Sam as he straightened out, and walked towards the intimidating entrance to the prison.

Soon, soon she would finally have her answer.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Putting her faith in her son, Puffy takes the answer he gave and may or may not commit a little bit of treason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'know I don't even mind if no one likes this story it's so unbelievably self-indulgent LMAO, I'm gonna write it anyway because I'm a little bastard. Also please be fully aware I have no goddamn idea what the prison actually looks like so. Dubiously canon.

The thick door clanked shut behind the duo, completely sealing away the sunlight until the only means of visibility game from the golden glow of Sam's trident. Steeling herself, Puffy followed behind Sam, careful not to let herself fall too far behind. Any warmth she had stored in her curled locks seemed to be sapped away by the cold, dark walls of the tunnel they walked through. The whole building itself just seemed to drain everything positive from her, and she couldn't help but wonder how Dream felt, being locked in here for some weeks.

Eventually the tunnel opened, a room with a vaulted ceiling high above them casted in deep shadows. There was light here, chilly and blue, cast into the cracks in the obsidian from glittering prismarine lamps. Puffy hugged herself as Sam walked toward the mechanical door, the dread of this building seeping into her bones. She watched as he retrieved a heavy-looking key, laser focused on where he retrieved it from beneath his armor, and she almost completely missed the mechanics of the layered door slamming into action and pulling back as yet another dark and freezing hallway presented itself.

"He's at the end of this hall, Captain. I'll let you have your privacy, but your five minutes start when I can't see you anymore." Sam said, quietly, and stood against the wall, posture rigid as a statue.

"Of course, Sam...thank you," Puffy bowed her head with the statement, taking a deep breath and striding into the depth of the prison.

It felt like an eternity, walking without any idea of where she was going. Would she even make it to Dream and have enough time to talk? Had Sam started counting yet? How long was this infernal hallway!? Letting out an aggravated huff, Puffy noticed she could almost make out the walls around her. Which meant there was light. Dream _had_ to be just up ahead! Adrenaline filled her as she picked up her pace, each step echoing off the black rock until she stuttered to a stop- in near horror.

The cell was so dimly lit she could barely see, but perhaps that was a blessing. Sure enough, in front of her sat Dream, his back against the far wall and his legs in front of him, as if he was trying to curl up into himself. But he was connected to every wall with so many thick chains, Puffy thought she was going to be sick. His hands were in front of him, encased in an iron block, weighed down to the floor yet chained to the ceiling, and the edge of the metal dug into his arms. His ankles were locked so they could not move any closer or farther than the metal allowed, and each leg was chained to the opposing wall. To top it all off, there was a shackle that was ever too small for his neck, pressing into the tender skin and chaining him to the wall he slumped against.

"Those footsteps...you aren't Sam." Dream lifted his head ever so slightly, his hair falling to the side and Puffy gasped. They had let Dream keep his mask but...it was horrible. The eyes and edges were scratched in such a way that the frayed, sharp plastic clearly stabbed into his skin. Of course Dream had done so many bad things but Puffy did not believe that condemned him to live out his days in constant pain.

"No, no... I-..." Puffy half stuttered, still in shock at his condition. "It's me Dream, it...it's Puffy," Dreams head perked up slightly at that, before tilting slightly to the side. "I just-" Puffy looked behind her into the tunnel. "I don't have much time but I-... I have to ask you something. And I need the truth, please," The males chest rose with a heavy breath, nodding slightly.

"Dream, tell me. Why were you the villain?" At that, he paused. And then he answered.

"Because they wanted me to be."

"Wh- huh? Who did?"

"All of them. From the start, I was a 'bad guy'. From the start, they claimed I was evil," Dream paused to cough, his voice low and weak. "And so I did what they wanted."

Puffy's eyes blurred and her head throbbed. Surely not? Surely it wasn't their fault? Surely they didn't have the _audacity_ to create a monster and then shun it? Puffy held her head in one hand, and opened her mouth to ask another question.

"Captain! Time's up." Sam's voice rose from behind her, cutting through her train of thought. She spun around, the warden standing to the side of the entrance.

"W-wait, please-"

"Captain. Your time is up, please do not make me summon the guards."

Puffy swallowed, looking back at Dream. He had gone limp, facing the floor once again. Then a hand on her arm, and she was being led through the tunnel once more. Her mind was racing, and her heart was aching. She trusted in Dream, trusted enough that he wouldn't lie to her...especially in his situation. And it certainly seemed plausible, when she took the others accounts into mind. They all painted Dream as the villain so painfully, but did they really make him that way?

Flinching at the painfully bright sun, Puffy realized that she had spent the whole trek back lost in thought. Sam resumed his position at the door, and Puffy walked away, relishing the sun soaking into her.

She had to let Dream feel this warmth again too.

* * *

It took quite awhile, the plan involved so much stalking, so much watching, so much thinking, so many resources had to be gathered. Oh how Puffy wished she could speed this process up, or even ask someone to help, but of course she could not. It took over a month to finish the building, and that was with Puffy barely sleeping and sneaking off everyday to complete it. It was nothing grand at all, nothing more than a cabin with four rooms, but it would have to do. They could decorate it later. Puffy stood back, gazing at her creation in the moonlight.

This cabin would belong to Dream.

With it finally finished, Puffy felt a months worth of exhaustion crash into her like a speeding minecart. The trek back to her own house would be arduous in her state, but she gave herself a shake and trudged through the trees. She could make it back solely with content, she had found a dense forest far from any civilization, and had ventured through that forest until she came out the other side, to a field that stretched for about a mile before it was cliff, jutting out over the ocean. It was a beautiful location, and the chances of anyone ever stumbling upon it were slim to none. It was perfect.

By the time Puffy was melting into her bed, the sun had already rose over the horizon and was warming the land. She slept for hours, her dreams filled with cracked obsidian.

When she woke, her room was bathed in orange. Allowing herself to lounge in bed for a moment, she sat up and yawned. She got dressed as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, the underlying thrum of urgency still causing her to multitask after all this time. She went over her plans while a quick dinner cooked, and she took it as a to-go meal. She had to act soon, this nausea she'd had over the last month...

Because while she worked, Dream sat freezing in pain. 

Puffy struggled to swallow her next bite, yearning for the moment she could cut the psuedo-torture device from his face. Even at a brisk pace, it took Puffy some time to make her way to the prison, all while the sun sank lower and lower. By the time she approached the building, the sky above her was cast in all shades of purple and pink, and she crouched lower to the ground. She didn't necessarily expect anyone to be around, but hey. Didn't hurt to be cautious. 

The wait was agonizing, having to change position every time her muscles started to ache too much. She had to be ready. Ready for the moon to rise, for the moment Sam went inside the prison to sleep for the night. Puffy had found out there was a small side room, where Sam had taken up residence to serve his duty all day and night. She shifted on her toes, a glowing potion in each hand. One for swiftness, one for invisibility. Movement from her target had her rigid, and in the same instant she popped the cork from both bottles. She drank the invisibility one first, shuddering at the taste. She felt a coldness run through her body, knowing that it was the potion changing her cells. She dropped the empty bottle, swinging her head back to drink the swiftness potion. All at once she felt endless energy burst all the way to her fingertips, and she took a deep breath before taking off.

Sam had entered the prison, and Puffy had to cross the distance before the door shut behind him. It was a harrowing squeeze, but she made it in time to slide in, and any scraping she caused against the rock was drowned out by the door. Covering her mouth, the sheep hybrid remained pressed against the chilly floor as she watched the warden step away. She had entered unnoticed. Puffy kept low to the floor, moving painfully slowly behind Sam. She hoped he didn't do many activities before bed, or her potions would run out. Observing him cross the round room, he stretched and set his trident against the entrance to his residence. 

She let it sit a few minutes before following, absentmindedly counting her potion duration in her head. She had about a minute left on each. Creeping forward, and into a small bedroom, Puffy allowed herself a quick glance around. Sam was laid on a bed against the left wall, and facing away from him. Perfect. Silently pulling out her third 'potion', a small rag was wrapped around its neck. She felt _horrible_ about doing this but...it was necessary. Uncorking the bottle and pouring its contents against the cloth, she hesitated for only a moment before sneaking forward and reaching up...up...up...and pressing the rag against Sam's face. 

He jerked with surprise for a moment, turning his head to the side but it was too late. Puffy made sure that this was her most potent creation. Once Sam lay against his bed unconscious, she grimaced and mouthed an apology before reaching for the area she had memorized that day, a month ago. And wouldn't you know, the intricate key was just where she suspected. Darting back towards the big room, Puffy felt the cold drain from her body and it was replaced by temporary numbness. The added spark of energy also fizzled out, leaving some of her muscles twitching. Which made it just a bit harder to shove the key into the keyhole.

She stood strong in the opening as the layers peeled back, and the moment there was a clear pathway she sprinted into the abyss.

She came upon the cell just as she had before, her panting bouncing around the enclosure. Dream was still here, although he seemed rather...dead. Flinging herself forward, Puffy's hands flew to his chest. His wrists and neck were covered in iron, so the only other way was... 

"Oh thank **_god_**." Her relieved gasp was louder than she anticipated. Beneath the fabric of his green hoodie, his heartbeat thundered behind his ribcage. He was alive just unconscious. Which was fine, she could fix unconscious. She could not fix dead. 

What she did next took an eternity, or at least it felt like it. She had to use a special solution on each individual chain, and she had to be painstakingly careful with the iron block encasing his hands. Eventually though, the sleeping boy was no longer attached to this horrendous building, and Puffy could lift him into her arms and whip around, stalking the dark hall with triumph.

Exiting the cell, she locked the door back up and carefully set Dream to the side while she returned the key to Sam's armor. She had to go as long as possible without anyone knowing Dream was missing. Scooping the boy back up, she set on her journey to get him back to her house. The trek to his cabin would have to wait for tomorrow, for now he needed to be warm and fed. As the prison entrance closed behind the duo, the stars twinkled above and filled Puffy with the courage to take her son away from this hell hole.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Objective: get the boy to the cabin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From this chapter onward, Dream's real name will be used ! I personally am kinda uncomfortable using his real name but its for the sake of the story; please keep this in mind and remember that here Dream is still a teenager and no one on the SMP knows his face or his real name, because canon is mine here and its for plot hshskdjd. 
> 
> ALSO I really didn't expect anyone to like this story but you guys really seem to like Momma Puffy and you know what ? Me too that's why I'm here baybee !! Thank you guys so much for reading, I promise I'm going to update this as frequently as possible for you !!

It was late in the afternoon when Puffy decided things should probably get going, humming to herself in the kitchen as she cooked up a meal. Dream hadn't yet awoken, and the sheep assumed that he was simply...out of energy. As rumor had it, he was only fed every two days, and Puffy imagined that being so cold and against hard surfaces didn't make it easy to sleep. If her calculations were done correctly, she had rescued Dream the night of a feeding day, so she would hopefully have two days until Sam even realized he was missing.

Absentmindedly setting the table, Puffy ran through the final stage of her plan once more. After all this, she couldn't afford a single mistake. Dream was freed, and safely tucked into her bed. She had taken the couch. While he was sleeping, Puffy had spent several slow, agonizing hours getting the shackles off him, whereafter she had dumped them in the endless lava of the Nether. Food was put onto plates and her boots softly thudded against the wood of her hallway. 

It was time for him to wake up.

Admittedly, it took Puffy longer than she thought it would, simply due to the fact that she wished he could keep resting comfortably. Lord knows he needed it. In the end she had pulled back the covers, rocking his body back and forth until exhausted eyes blinked open, squeezing shut against the sunlight pouring in from outside.

"Hey Dream, hon, I know you want to rest more but it's time to get up!" She called, sitting on the edge of the bed and reaching up to shut the blinds. She knew he would ask so many questions.

"P-Puffy?" He asked, voice hoarse and barely audible. She nodded and hummed in confirmation, half open eyes frantically flicking around the room. 

"But- what? Where am I? This- This has to be a dream, right? It's not rea-" Dream was cut off by himself, body jerking suddenly as he coughed in pain. Talking hurt quite a bit.

"Hey whoa whoa whoa, easy!" Puffy reached forward and ran a hand through his dirty hair. "It's okay, this is real, I promise you're safe! This isn't a dream!"

The blonde leaned in on himself, taking deep breaths and clutching his stomach. Puffy stayed quiet, rubbing gentle circles into his back as she let him recover. 

"Why..." He cleared his throat. "Why am I not.."

"In prison? Momma Puffy got you out! And with any luck, you'll _stay_ out." Dream peered up at her, his mismatched eyes swimming with confusion.

"You... Broke me out? Wh-why!?" 

"What kind of question is that? How could I possibly just accept _anyone_ rotting away in that horrid cell, let alone my little Dreamling?" Puffy frowned slightly, hoping Dream wouldn't insist on going _back._ She shook her head, pulling the teen into her arms and hugging him close. He was processing, and she had to be understanding.

"Puffy I can't possibly just- stay out of prison! I'll be seen, or they'll come hunting for me! There's no way that-"

"Dream. Listen. I assure you I thought of every possibility. You are not staying here, you are not staying anywhere NEAR here, understood?" Dream barely had time to blink before she continued. "I made you a place, so very very far from here. It will take awhile to get there, and I'm willing to let you get cleaned up and fed today. We will leave tomorrow. You won't be discovered, and on the possibility you ever are, I have a plan for that as well. I'm going to do my damnedest to care for you Dream, and that means keeping you away from that hellish hunk of obsidian."

She heard Dream swallow, soaking up all her words like a sponge before releasing, melting into her as his eyes blurred with tears.

"I thought you hated me... I thought you were happy to see me locked away, w-with everyone else, that you wished you never- never adop-" Dream could barely finish his sentence, hiccups breaking up his words and so much of the pain he kept locked away burst out. Puffy's heart shattered.

"No, Dream, never! Taking you into my life was the best decision I ever made, and I made a promise to care for you until the end of time. And especially after this, I figure you need me more than ever, so... Even if you disagree, or rebel against me, I refuse to let you suffer in those freezing chains ever again. You are my _son_ , Dream. I love you so much."

Puffy could hardly believe the stories about Dream, about all the heinous acts everyone said he committed. Because here he was, just a young boy who had the world turn against him, gasping for air as he broke down in his mothers arms. If she could not do her duty as a mother and give him the understanding that he so desperately needed, who would?

Over time, his hiccups died down, and when his eyes were wiped no fresh tears came. It was then, and only then, that Puffy scooped him into her arms, carrying the weakened blonde out to the table and helping him sit in a chair.

"It's a little cold now, but we gotta fill that stomach of yours Dreamling. Take your time eating though, I'm sure you're hungry but you don't wanna get sick," she said, sitting next to him and waiting for him to shakily pick up his fork, and stab it into the meat she had cut up for him. His plate did look rather childish, but she didn't want to make him go through the work of cutting his own meat, and Dream sure didn't seem to mind.

Puffy finished her plate before the boy, and took the extra time to head down the hall to draw a bath. Lower lip pinched between her teeth, she allowed her thoughts to wander as the porcelain tub started to fill. If her plan succeeded, and she led Dream to safety, on the very slim chance someone came upon him... How would they keep his identity a secret?

She had cut away his tarnished mask the instant she laid him in bed, and getting a new mask was off the table. It would be a dead giveaway. Then again, so would his name. No chance anyone would believe that there were two completely separate people named 'Dream'. Suddenly, Puffy snapped back to reality and let out a breath. 

"Dream! Are you done eating?" She called, stepping back out into the hallway. Receiving a tired confirmation, Puffy smiled and entered back into the dining area.

"C'mon Dreamling, lets get you all cleaned up okay?"

"Can we do it tomorrow?" Dream rasped, watching with tired eyes as the sheep placed his used dishes into the kitchen sink.

"Aw," Puffy frowned, turning back to her quarry. "Tomorrow is for the journey, Dream, but I promise after you after you wash up you can go right to bed." She finished her statement by pressing a kiss to the blondes forehead, pulling back just to meet his exhausted gaze. That prison had sucked so much life out of him...

With gentle touches, Puffy guided the teen to the bathroom, making sure to catch him each time he stumbled. After double checking that Dream had all the soaps he would need, and giving him a towel, she shut the bathroom door behind her, and set off to double check all the equipment they would need for their journey.

* * *

Bleary eyes shot open, blinking away the sudden pain of a very bright sunrise. Even more an annoyance was a terrible beeping, and it had Puffy reaching out and blindly sweeping around the nearby coffee table for the alarm to shut it off. Sitting up with a light groan, she rubbed her eyes until she saw spots. Her waking process felt like it went in sloe motion, despite the underlying urgency in the dwindling time she had.

By the time Puffy was dressed, the sleep in her muscles had been replaced with adrenaline, pushing her into moving at twice her normal speed. She had woken Dream a few minutes ago, and she was pacing around the living room and double, triple, quadruple checking every bag, every pocket, every step they would have to take in their days journey.

Dream's attitude and energy had brightened considerably since bathing, and while still visibly tired and roughed up, his hair bounced with every step or any turn of his head. Said hair lighting up like fire in the early sunlight caught Puffy's attention, and she looked at him fondly as he placed his hand on the nape of his neck, shifting to adjust to the fresh clothing Puffy had acquired for him.

"Good morning sunshine!" She called cheerily, the thrill of her son looking healthier temporarily pushing aside her travel anxiety.

"Um- good morning," he replied, much quieter but he offered a small smile to make up for his lackluster response. Puffy paraphrased their next steps as she strode across the room and wrapped the boy in a hug.

"Alright! We have to head out very soon, to make sure we're far gone by the time anyone else wakes up, so our breakfast will come later this morning, got it?" Dream nodded. "Perfect! Now, if you need a break at any point let me know, but we have to start strong so bag up soldier!" 

The duo set about pulling bag onto their shoulders, and strapping any necessary smaller pieces to them. Once Puffy looked Dream over, she ushered the boy through the threshold of her back door, and led the way through the dew-soaked grass.

Through high-waisted grass, over rocky fields that jutted up towards the sky and subtly threatened danger with sharp, broken edges. Stumbling down hills that were a bit steeper than anticipated, a careful crossing of a wide river. And by the time the sun was set high in the sky, on the verge of sinking towards the horizon, the pair finally approached high trees. Spaced at first, the trees quickly cluttered together the further they walked, until soon they were nipped by cold, formed by the thick canopy overhead which allowed no light to filter through.

"Hey Puffy?"

"Yes Dream? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just... If I'm all the way out here, what will happen if somehow they find out what you did?"

"You mean, if they first realize you were _broken_ out?" At that, Dream raised an eyebrow. "They're likely gonna assume you got out on your own, Dream. They're positive that everyone hates you- the fake you, the you that hurt people. It's incredibly unlikely that they'll think anyone would care enough to break you out of such a high-security cell, and even if they do figure out you had help-"

"Technically, it's more of a kidnapping since I didn't ask you to get me out and I was asleep-"

"Hush you!" Puffy huffed, yet her tone was light. "As I was saying, _if_ they figure out you were helped, the amount of pitying looks I get daily leads me to believe I'd never be fingered as a suspect."

"Pitying looks?" Puffy nodded.

"Yeah. As far as they're aware, I was heartbroken over your crimes and disowned you publicly. They all think I'm in emotional pain, having to deal with my once loved son in prison." Dream's eyes lowered to the ground. "But, to answer your original question, I will make do. I promise Dream, you don't have to worry about me. I'd much rather you worry about yourself, alright?" 

He swallowed, stepping over a fallen log before nodding his agreement. Puffy reached forward and cupped his cheek, drawing his gaze back to her.

"Repeat after me: **we are going to be just fine.** " 

Dream took a shuddering breath, closing his eyes and leaning into her palm. 

"We are going to be...just fine."

"Atta boy! C'mon now, we're so close! I think you're gonna love it!" And with that, Puffy bounded ahead, looking back at Dream with such a caring smile that he couldn't help but thoroughly believe her words, and kick off after her, his muscle memory kicking into action and closing the distance in no time at all.

The small team continued to race through the trees, Dream slowing every once in awhile to allow Puffy to catch up. His past as a speedrunner gave him an incredible advantage, but he didn't want to lose her in the trees and also he wanted to make sure he didn't go the wrong way in general. 

As the forest started to thin out, Dream burst through the foliage with high spirit, his laugh seeming to warm the area around him. He did a little spin, slowing as he looked over the new scenery before him. Puffy came up behind him, her jog slowing to a stop and she looked down at the blonde. His wide mismatched gaze going from the cliff in the distance, to the lush field, and finally to the cabin, warmed by the sun.

His eyes widened in wonder, and he slowly ambled over to the structure before turning back to gape at his mom. She beamed at him.

"That's all yours! It's not terribly large, but you're the only one out here. There's bound to be plenty of animals in the forest, and! I even collected some seeds for you to start a farm. You gonna be alright with that?" Dream turned back to the cabin, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. Turning back, his eyes were wide and watery.

"Why did you do so much for me? I don't deserve this!" At his outburst, Puffy rushed forward to collect him in her arms again. It seemed like that was all she could do to comfort him...

"Dream, Dream listen very closely. I will tell you this as many times as you need. I took on this role of my own free will. Nothing that this world throws at me will ever change that." Pulling away slightly, she cupped his jaw in her hands and looked at him. "Dream, you will always be my son. I will always give you chance after chance, I will move mountains and cross oceans for you at any given moment. I will expend every ounce of my power to keep you safe here, and if the need arises I will fight waves of enemies to keep you safe." Puffy took a deep breath.

"I know that it wasn't you. I know that the real you is so unbelievably giving, so kind, so loving, and such an amazing person overall, I will work to my dying breath to make sure you get this second chance. You deserve this, so much more than you think you do. So please, Dream, please try. Try to allow yourself this freedom, try to accept that no one can make you be the bad guy anymore. Let yourself grow, here, away from everyone. Please, Dream?" 

At this point, Puffy herself was tearing up, wishing with her whole heart that Dream would understand, this was the path she gladly accepted walking down. Sucking in a breath, Dream pushed forward and buried his face in her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her.

And there they stood, arms tightly wrapped around each other for time they didn't count. By the time they unwound from each other, the sun had sunk in the sky by a significant amount, and although she didn't want to leave just yet, Puffy knew she had to make appearances so that no one could question her whereabouts.

"You have to go, don't you?" Dream's tone was less of a question and more of a statement. Puffy sighed, her eyebrows pinching together.

"I do, I'm sorry. You are beyond competent though, you don't need me," a sad smile crossed her face. "One thing, before I go..."

"Yeah?"

"Leave it all behind. You don't need the name 'Dream' anymore, little duckling."

And with a kiss on the forehead, and a quick unloading of supplies, Clay waved as he watched his mom walk back into the wood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wave ! Hi
> 
> Im aware that currently, Dream is a little out of character ! However, please understand that I'm trying to make it that way !! He was neglected in a prison for two months, and is going through a lot of emotional turmoil with Mama Puffy, I promise that he's gonna recover and get his confidence back soon ! :) 
> 
> Tysm for reading my self-indulgent lil thing !!!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh you guys are so nice ,,,
> 
> This chapter is going to start with Puffy's POV, since I wanted to kind of go over the START of the panic that will arise once the prison is discovered empty. Afterward it will switch to Dream/Clay POV, and the story might be fairly slow/boring for a little, on his end. Which is okay, story-wise, since he needs some peace and recovery time, but that does mean that the story may get a little jumpy, since I plan on switching between Puffy and Clay to both explore the panic, and simultaneously the peace. I'll try to make it as bearable as possible, sorry guys !!!!

Puffy shot up to banging on her door, eyes bleary and stumbling down the hall in her pajamas. Who could be knocking so frantically this early in the morning? She announced her arrival through a yawn, opening her door as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. 

"Puffy! Puffy I'm sorry to wake you but there's a _huge_ emergency and we need everyone!" On her doorstep was Karl, hair pulled in every direction and eyes blown wide with stress.

"Karl? Calm- calm down, take a breath. What's going on?" Puffy reached out and placed a hand on the boys shoulder, grounding him a little.

"Dream's gone! Sam- he went to bring him food and the- the chains were broken and the cell was _empty_ and he's escaped! Everyone's in danger again and everyone is panicking-" Puffy's shock was clear on her face, and as she let Karl continue to tumble over his words, inwardly she hoped she didn't slip up on her act at any point. She thought she would have until this afternoon, at the very least. So at least her current surprise wasn't completely fabricated.

"Hey," interrupting the boy before her, she took a breath. "Tell me what the plans are." Karl nodded frantically.

"Um! Sam is organizing a party, and he's gonna send everyone in different directions to cover as much ground as possible. Tubbo and Tommy are with Nikki at Eret's castle, and Fundy was sent out to find Ranboo and make sure he's secure. Quackity, well, he wanted to find Technoblade, and interrogate him for answers, and we tried to get him to understand that he just is nowhere _near_ Techno's level but he went off anyway so he's gone, and Sam sent me to get you and Bad." He took in a breath, and looked over his shoulder in the direction of Bad and Skeppy's mansion.

"Okay, thank you Karl. I'll get ready, you stay vigilant okay?" Once the brunet nodded and turned on his heel, Puffy shut her door and leaned her forehead against it. She had to hurry, she refused to let any amount of suspicion fall upon her.

* * *

Muscles taut, the figure stretched, standing alone as the morning sun spread across his freckled skin. It was his first day alone, his first day _free_ , and while he didn't have a particular goal in mind, he wanted to make the most of it. With a shrug, he realized that exploring his new living grounds would be the best bet.

Fingers wrapped around the handle of an iron blade, Clay's eyes wandered along the pale metal and he itched for his old axe. Nothing wrong with swords, and he wasn't going to let this weapon from Puffy go to waste, but it just felt so...light. Not much weight to it. He slid it into the sheath at his waist, and stepped off the wooden porch. A deep breath of chilly air, hands on hips, and a determined look accompanied Clay as he advanced towards the large field that separated him, and a cliff. 

It wasn't a very interesting activity, but to ensure his own safety, and make Puffy's work _worth_ something, the blond spent hours going over and memorizing every small dip in the ground, every sudden drop on the cliff face, each and every tree several yards into the forest, and every possible attack point from the shadows of the leaves high above him. The sun got warmer and warmer as it climbed higher in the sky, yet Clay relished in it, pausing occasionally to sit and soak in as much warmth as possible. After a month and half in quite possibly the coldest, hardest building of his life, the boy was not eager to ever experience low temperatures ever again.

By the time the sun was sinking, Clay had discovered a narrow outcrop in the cliff, and he was carefully making his way along to see where it would lead him. After a handful of minutes passed, the blond tip-toed his way over a crack and turn in the stone and stilled, eyes widening as he took in the scene before him.

The path widened, and was a straight shot down to a beach, the white sands completely untouched by any human. Past the cove, along the small peninsula, the ocean stretched off into the horizon, and above it the blazing sun, orange stretching into the sky above him and blending into a soft pink, wisping its way into the blue of the day. Distant blue waves, highlighted by a brilliant orange, crashed into the earth below him, and when he sucked in a breath he was greeted with the salty tang of the breeze, come to greet him from atop the rolling waves.

Clay let out a shakey breath, the simple beauty of a sunset over the ocean made him long so desperately for the nights he experienced long ago. He slowly sank into the rock, legs hanging over the edge and back pressed against a harsh wall. Leaning his head back, he bit his lip as he struggled against the sting behind his eyes, the betraying lump in his throat. What would they say if they could see him now?

The terrible, manipulative monster they had shaped him into, who they feared and attacked beyond all else, was fighting back tears at a sunset? That the _heartless man_ they called Dream balled his fists into his face, hiccuping as his mind raced with the memories of his best friends, of the people he cared about most laughing alongside him as they built a silly little house over a lake, rolling down the nearby hills together as the sun set each night, high on nothing but the thrill of creating something new with friends? 

He didn't want to cry, he hated crying. It made him feel so weak, when all he wanted was to be strong enough to keep danger away from those he cared for, all he had ever done was what others wanted him to do and all he had ever wanted was for others to be happy. But in the end, no matter how much Clay fought, it was inevitable. Crying at seemingly the simplest things, staying up late into the night aching with agony, bent over the garden shaking because his best friends favorite song had popped into his head, it would happen. 

He would cry.

He would scream.

He would lash out at the fake shapes in the trees.

He would _hurt._

And whether Clay knew it or not, he needed to. He had to hurt before he could heal, he had to accept the agony and make peace with the pain. Only then would he be able to grow.

* * *

Leg bouncing, eyes darting between everyone gathered, Puffy found it hard to pay attention to whoever was speaking. She was unbelievably anxious each and every day, becoming more disheveled everytime the hunting party was gathered in the king's castle.

It had been a few weeks, maybe one maybe two, since the discovery. Everyone was on high alert at all times, and it had become quick custom for all able adults to group up and discuss anything suspicious and make new plans. Every day Puffy worried the door would slam open, and someone would have her precious boy in tow, that they would throw him to the floor in front of everyone and proclaim that they had caught the beast. Each time an emergency meeting was called Puffy nearly tore her hair out, stressed that she would arrive to a proud seeker, their sword bloodied, bragging they had found him and slain him.

It was exhausting.

And though she hated how messy her mane was becoming, and how little sleep she got, she couldn't be too mad about it. After all, the muss and the jumpiness and the tiredness worked in her favor- appearance wise. Often, Puffy would get warm hugs and offers of a hot cup of tea to relax, and assurances that "he would he caught, there's no need to worry so much!". Even now, as she sat at the long table with and barely acknowledged any words being said around her, she received sympathetic looks and from beside her, Fundy placed a comforting paw on her shoulder.

Sleepy eyes greeted his, and the sheep smiled back at him in appreciation. She wanted to check in with Clay so bad...

"-that's what I'm saying! Sam, if literally no one has found him yet and he hasn't approached anyone, he's gone!" 

"Yeah, but Quackity, what do want us to do about that? If he _is_ gone, then we need to set up _patrols_ and a _perimeter_ to make sure he _stays_ gone!"

"You're just gonna let him live?"

"George shut up, stay out of this-"

"Don't tell me to shut up-" "Guys do we really have to yell?" "Well if I'm not yelling no one listens-" "Wouldn't a patrolled perimeter be bad if he wanted to come back?" "Yeah he would jus' learn the schedule wouldn' he?" "No we just-"

On and on they went, the voices getting louder and more persistent and they drilled into Puffy's skull. She was getting the worst headache of her life.

" **Enough!** " A voice boomed above the others, heads snapping to face the source. Eret had climbed out of his seat at the head of the table to stand upon it, hands at his side. Watching as everyone quieted and slowly sat back in their seats, the king nodded and adjusted his sunglasses.

"Thank you. Now, while you were all yelling and getting absolutely nothing done, I have come up with a plan. Before I explain it, does anyone think they have anything worthwhile to say?" A soft chorus of 'no's sounded from the group, others shaking their head and Quackity crossing his arms and grumbling to himself.

"Cool. Now, listen up. Sapnap, Bad, George, Fundy, and Ant, please go stand over there." The mentioned group stood and shuffled over to where the king has gestured, glancing at each other in confusion. "Sam, Tubbo, Punz, Skeppy, Karl, and Niki, stand over here please," the second group stood and gathered on the opposite side of the room to the first group. Eret continued.

"This is group one," he said gesturing to the first huddle of people. The second was labeled group two, and everyone remaining at the table was labeled group 3. "Group three, your job is to relax. Keep vigilant for a few days after this, and every second day I need a duo to rise early and go over the land, making sure nothing is amiss." The group nodded, Tommy whining about how boring that would be before silencing himself.

"Group two, Sam and Niki are your leaders. Especially you, Tubbo. Make sure you do not stray from the adults, and listen to what they say. Understood?" Tubbo nodded. "Group two, your job is to trap. Do not go too far from civilization, but set up as many traps around as possible, and make them as hidden as you can. Once finished, you will make a map of where you placed every trap and hang it up here, so everyone knows where to avoid. Every day, one or two of you are to go around and check each trap, to see if anything-or anyone- has been caught. Understood?" The group agreed.

"Group one." Eret stepped down from the table, approaching the gathered boys with a very serious energy. "You are the most important group, and I hope you're ready to embark on this journey." The group quickly sobered up, confusion turning to solemn acceptance. Eyebrows furrowed, the captain looked between Eret and Sapnap.

"You five... You five are my Hunters."

Puffy's blood ran cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *MTV voice* I'm Glitch, and THIS is Minecraft Manhunt
> 
> Lol I've been thinkin about making ref sheets for the characters, I'm not a very good artist but it might be fun all the same. :P what do you guys think ?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See, it was a trick >:) I have more POVs to play with now hehehe
> 
> Also I want to apologize really quick ! I'm super sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I wanted to finish my small reference art for Clay before I posted it, and I'm not an excellent artist so it took me awhile to finish lol <3
> 
> Here's the link, and if it doesn't work then my insta is just "glitchsune_" : https://www.instagram.com/p/CLMO5HQg0H3/?igshid=tcn4c4zmg7mb
> 
> I drew it on my phone pls don't be too harsh ;^-^
> 
> Onto the chapter !!

"C'mooonnn George, hurry up why are you so _slowwww_!" Sapnap complained, throwing his head back. The group gathered around the brit's house, noises of frantic movement escaping through the windows. 

"I'm coming! Chill out, Sapnap oh my god!" The brunet complained right back, long used to the others sass and attitude and he was always ready to snap back. How was it possible that out of everyone here, George was taking the longest? Sapnap had to travel to the nether to gather supplies he wanted, Antfrost had to walk all the way to the Badlands and back, as did Bad and he was _also_ held back by Skeppy, who refused to let him leave the house until he had thoroughly fussed over the demon. Fundy had a similar holdup, having to assure his very dead but very worried father that he would be fine, finally able to get the ghost off of him by promising that the other four were very experienced with hunting this particular person, and he would be just fine. George was just...lagging around.

"D'you think King Eret would be upset if we left him?" The sandy feline questioned, tail swishing with impatience. Sapnap snorted, having half a mind to agree with him. 

"George, it cannot take this long to pack supplies! We've been standing out here for forty minutes, plus how long it took the rest of us to get ready!" 

"Shut up Fundy! You don't know how to hunt Dream, now do you? I know what I'm doing!"

"Whoa whoa whoa guys! C'mon we shouldn't be arguing right now! Who knows how long we'll be out together, and starting off fighting won't do us any good. We're not going to leave George, We're not going to be mean to Fundy, but however we can _lightly_ urge George to speed up his process because the longer we stand around the further away Dream can get. It's not like he has somewhere to stay and is just...settled." Bad, ever the voice of reason piped up, setting a gentle hand on Fundy's shoulder.

Another handful of minutes passed before the door flung open, a large pack hanging off George's back and he stepped out onto the grass. With a not-at-all subtle 'Finally' from Sapnap, the group huddled closer to the tallest, ready to discuss their traveling plans.

* * *

The sound of Bad, Sapnap, and George lightly bickering ahead of him faded into background noise, his pointed ears twisting and flicking each different way to gather the sounds of the trees around him. Fundy didn't know how the other four decided on a direction to go, to him the thought of picking a single direction was unfathomable. Dream could have gone in any direction, so how was Bad so sure that this way was the correct one? 

It filled him with unease, but the fox wasn't about to ask about it. Maybe it was just...experience? They probably had some way to tell, but if so it was completely lost on Fundy. For now, he was content enough going along with them, and either way he didn't see it as a real loss. If they found Dream then, well, they found him. Surely he couldn't over power the five of them at once? But, on the other hand... If they didn't find Dream, he figured he also wouldn't be too bothered. He was long gone, right? As long as he stayed away everything would be fine? And if Fundy was being completely honest with himself, he didn't think he would be very useful in a confrontation with the masked man. Everyone knew just how masterful he was in combat, and it seemed even his childhood best friend didn't know what he was. He was certainly no human...

Lost in thought, Fundy nearly bowled himself over a fallen log, stumbling but managed to catch himself before he ate dirt.

"Ohmigosh Fundy! Are you okay!?" Bad was by his side in an instant, clawed hands lifting him from the ground and checking him over hurriedly.

"Y..yeah, I'm okay I'm okay! Sorry I was just lost in my own head, I guess..." Fundy apologized quickly, catching George scoff from the corner of his eye. His face tingled with embarrassment, as if he needed more reasons for George to judge him on this journey. It's not as if he asked to join!

"That's okay! It's your first time in a manhunt, and it's a very serious one as well. I don't think we can afford to lose this one. We won't let anything happen to you though, Fundy! I promise!" Despite his nervousness, Fundy smiled and truly believed Bad's promise.

* * *

_Thwack._

_Thwack._

_Thwack._

With a loud crack, Clay watched the tree fall to the earth. Muscles aching, the blond looked back towards his house and at the pile of logs he had already spent the day cutting apart. He knew he could manage this final tree, and so he rolled his shoulders and set to work.

By the time Clay lifted the final piece of lumber into his arms, the moon had lifted enough to cast its pale glow over his cottage. Letting out a huff, he dragged his sore body up the steps to his porch, and flung himself into the front door to open it. He dropped his axe by the door, and made his way over to his fireplace to drop the heavy log into it. Arms finally empty, and front door locked behind him, Clay wanted nothing more than to wash away the sweat and grime of the day and collapse into his bed. He wasn't even sure if he had the energy to make it to the shower at the moment. Maybe a bath instead?

Stumbling down the dark hallway, Clay stepped into his small bathroom and flicked on the small redstone light. He decided a bath would be too gross for now, and reached over to turn on the shower head. Leaning against the wall as the water heated up, Clay went over the chores he completed today, and wondered if he should let himself sleep in tomorrow. Sure, Puffy had told him to relax here, but making sure he was stocked up on as many resources as he could get wouldn't make her too upset if she knew, right? 

Once the room started to fill with steam, he peeled his clothes from his skin, and went through a mental checklist as he stepped under the hot stream of water. As long as nothing went wrong, he could allow himself extra sleep in the morning, since he figured his work wouldn't be _too_ arduous. He just had to re-water his budding garden, and scale down to the beach to check on his fish net. Afterwards he could surely afford some leisure time, and maybe he could finally do what Puffy wished for him to do.

He spent more time than he intended to in the shower, the hot stream beating down on his tired limbs was something he wasn't eager to leave. Once the water started to run cold, he turned it off and stepped out into the cold air, lazily drying himself off and wrapping the towel around him to wander to his bedroom and slip into his pajamas. He made sure his hair was dry enough to lay down, and promptly dropped into his mattress, exhaustion seeping from his limbs and nearly instantly falling asleep. Yet, before he could easily slip off into slumber, Clay was startled out of his restful state and his blood ran cold.

There was movement outside his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading !!! I worry that I might forget to update sometimes , and you guys are totally free to yell at me to do so !! I don't have the whole story written, but I DO have it all planned out, so I have no excuse other than my own forgetfulness :] 
> 
> Love u guys 🖤


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter goes out to XxMsGalaxywolfxX, whose comment I got the notification for and leapt for my keyboard lmao,, I did my best to make this chapter longer than the last, I'm so excited to get the story going that I was subconsciously writing less and less I think and I am SO sorry omg ;^-^

His heart was pounding so loud, he was sure that it was echoing throughout the cabin. He was absolutely positive that he had heard something scuffling about, and he had his opened bedroom window to thank for that. Years of muscle memory kicked in, ages of avoiding and hiding from friends in a lighthearted hunt, the sudden sourness of _all_ of their training for a situation _just like this_...

Of course they would have been sent after him. Of course they would be able to find him, Bad always had an uncanny ability to tell which direction he had ran. Clay rolled out of bed and silently dropped to the floor, exhaustion screaming at him but he pushed it down as he focused on the window like his life depended on it. And, well, if there were Hunters outside, it certainly did. Clay took slow, deep breaths until he could hear over his own heartbeat again, and once more the noise of footsteps through grass reached his ears. With a twinge of regret, he realized that both his axe and his sword lay down the hall, nowhere near arms reach.

He had gone into a four-v-one and come out alive before hadn't he? Surely he could do it still, even with ache tugging at his muscles and panic clogging up his throat. He had to make it to a weapon. Keeping his eyes on his window the entire way, Clay slowly crawled backwards, only daring to blink once he was hidden behind the curtain of shadow that occupied his hallway. Slowly, ever so slowly, the blond edged through the dark, and he swore the hallway had lengthened because it took far too many agonizing minutes to reach the other side. Eyes now locked on the front windows, he had to figure out how to stealthily make his way to the front door, next to which rested his axe- reflecting the glowing bright moonlight that flooded the room and made sneaking several difficulties harder.

He figured that pressing as close the floor as he could was his best and only option, and whilst he inched across the wood, the thoughts that ran rampant in his mind came to front. They were much more prepared than he could ever be, and he wasn't clad in anything more than a large hoodie and thin shorts, made for sleep. He would not be able to take more than three hits, depending on how deep the attack went. Even then, that's assuming they'll all launch at him with melee weapons. George was always fond of bows, and if it was his old group of Hunters- _why wouldn't it be?-_ then Ant had probably spent hours brewing helpful potions, and Clay didn't even want to think of Sapnap's axe. In Manhunts, everyone discarded their actual gear to start from the bottom again, but this wasn't a game anymore. Aside from himself, Sapnap was the most lethal with an axe, the two of them training together throughout childhood. One strike from his axe, unprotected, would bring the thundering heart in his chest to a swift halt.

Inwardly cursing himself for ever believing he could truly relax, or ever be safe, Clay's freckled arm stretched across the length of the door, fingers clutching around the solid handle of his glimmering axe, and in a blink he had it expertly gripped between two hands, the weight cooling his fried nerves. One quiet breath out, one determined breath in, and only a moment later he stood, axe ready to swing and dismember. Never in a million years did he want to hurt anyone that stood outside this door, but they weren't going to hold back so neither could he. Releasing his grip for only a moment, Clay yanked the door open and launched himself outside, crouching in the tall grass where he landed. The others noises stopped just as fast as his had, and slowly but surely, the same footsteps he had heard from his bed approached where he settled in the field. Blood rushing, the blond waited until his enemy was mere inches away, and shot up, pulling his axe back and winding up for a brutal hack and slash.

Or, he _was_ , until his entire body stiffened with surprise. The other seemed just as surprised as Clay was, the two stood still in the moonlight staring at each other.

"What the fuck." The boy deadpanned, arms lowering slightly as his voice, raspy from disuse, broke the frightened silence. Before him was no demon with knives, no cat with potions, no blazeborn with a fearsome axe and no human with a thick wooden bow. No, before him cowered someone who, by the looks of it, needed the same care that Clay did. Standing almost all tall as he was, and just as malnourished, Clay gently reached one of his hands out for her to sniff.

The she-wolf growled weakly, refusing to break eye contact with the other until he lowered his axe, relaxing his posture and becoming less of a threat. Cold air blew over his hand in quick huffs, but either the wolf knew he didn't mean any harm or she was simply to weak to fight anymore, because she gently pushed against the outstretched hand, nudging and nudging until the hand raised and ran along the fur atop her head. Clay was still tired to his bones, but he didn't see the harm in resting in the moonlight with the beast for a little while longer.

* * *

An annoyed huff split into the argument, George and Bad turning to look at its source.

"Are you guys _seriously_ arguing right now? About who has to cook dinner?" Sapnap said, exasperation dripping from his words. "George, you can't cook for the life of you so I don't know why you insist on trying to make a meal. Jesus, just let Bad do it!" 

" _Thank_ you, Sapnap," Bad said, crossing his arms over his chest and straightening himself. "It's already late, Ant used a lot of energy helping you out of that hole you fell in, George, just let me roast the food and sit down! What's your issue!" 

"My issue is I'm tired of eating cooked meat for every meal! It's bland!" The brunet exclaimed, gesturing to the kill from earlier in the night. 

"Then don't eat?" Fundy suggested, even though he was already walking a thin line with the brit. He just wanted to eat, and was as sick of the bickering as Sapnap was. Letting out a sigh when brown eyes turned to glare at him, the fox felt his ears flatten against his skull.

"Oh so you want me to starve do you Fundy? You want me to be weakened for when we finally catch up to Dream?" His voice rose an octave with each sentence, accent getting more ridiculous the angrier he got. 

"Well what do you want me to do GeorgeNotFound!" Fundy spat his name. "We're not going to waste time hunting for- for _herbs_ and _spices_ so that you can have a gourmet meal! We are literally following the most dangerous person anyone has ever encountered, would you stop acting so spoiled!? Didn't you used to do this for a living or something?" His words became louder the longer he spoke, ending his rant with a snarl and his fangs bared at the man before him. George's anger flashed across his face, but as he opened his mouth to retort Fundy interrupted him.

"You know what! I don't care. I'm tired of being treated like a burden and like I'm useless. You have no idea what I'm capable of, George. I'm sick of no one treating me with respect!" The fox had stood from the ground, angrily securing his bag to his shoulders and twisting away from the group. He stomped off into the darkness, feeling the warmth from their campfire drip away and ignoring their calls for him. He would find Dream on his own, and he would make George stop acting so high and mighty in everything he did.

Only once his paw sank into the cold, wet sand of a riverbank did Fundy realize he had taken off into the night, without a clue of which direction to head, and the hunger ate away at him from the inside. Could he even find anything to eat at this hour? Orange ears twisting, golden eyes flicking from tree to tree, a splash from the river before him snatched his attention. Fish! All he had to do was catch a handful of fish to eat for the night. 

Releasing himself of the burden of his travel pack, Fundy took a deep breath and prepared himself for the cold water. He would never get anything done going slowly, so he cringed before jumping in as deep as he could, the shockingly low temperature immediately locking his body into a position and he gasped loudly.

"Hooooooboy, oh boy oh boy oh boy that's...not warm!" He said aloud, the feeling of his fur being matted against his skin making him itch. It took several freezing minutes, the foxes entire body shaking from the cold by the time he had yanked two decently sized fish from the water beneath him. He quickly splashed out of the river, legs trembling and fangs clattering. Setting his meal on a nearby stone, he shakily made his way around the river bank, collecting any dry wood he found.

Once enough time had passed for his tiny fire the chase away the worst of the chill, Fundy pierced the two fish on a thin metal rod and set it over the fire. He had a quilt draped over him, and with its warmth he pictured its creator, his grandpa, who used to hug him and knit him this blanket before things got tense between them. Frowning into the flames, the fox wondered why he couldn't seem to get anyone to stay... Thankfully, he didn't have enough time to ride that train of thought, one of his fish caught on fire and he quickly pulled the rod away from the licking tongues of heat. It took a little bit of waving around and a miniscule amount of panicking, but the fish extinguished himself and Fundy could treat himself to a filling dinner, even if the taste was a little...burnt.

The orange embers flew into the air and drifted around him, and the smoke of his now-dead campfire filles his nose as he tidied up, choosing to retreat into the treeline and make a quick nest at the base of a thick oak. He barely had enough energy to pull the thin, silver sheet over his messy cocoon of blankets, and he curled in on himself as much as he could before drifting off into fitful sleep.

Waking up with a start, Fundy shot his hand towards the handle of his dagger. His sudden movement startled away his wild alarm clock, and with unfocused eyes he watched the rodent dart off into the brush. Bringing a paw up to rub at his face, the fox was still tired but figured getting up as soon as possible was for the best. Sluggishly packing up, it seemed as though no one had come after him, which pleased him just fine because he didn't want to see any of them right now. It was unfair, considering that they each defended him from George when he was being prissy, but still. He was determined to find the prisoner on his own, and though he couldn't suppress a yawn as he stood, Fundy's veins filled with adrenaline and he took off through the trees, following the river upwards.

Once the trees started to thin out, he could look skyward, and be warned in advance that blue was nowhere in his vision. The clouds above him were grey and heavy, and he had enough time to dig through his pack to search for something that would keep the rain off of him. It was going to be a long, cold day, and he was now more alone than ever, but with his fingers crossed, Fundy climbed a hill and gazed out across the rocky field before him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe in Fundy supremacy o7
> 
> I got asked if I was going to put a ship in this, and I honestly wouldn't mind too much but if I did add a ship, I dunno if it would be Dreamnap or Fundywastaken lol ? Depends on which you guys prefer, those are the options we got hsisdjdjdjkf 
> 
> Thank you for reading !


End file.
